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THE
SWINGING B R I DG E VOLU M E 1 0 8
EDITION 14
LETTER FROM THE
EDITOR
DEC. 2019
STUDENT DIRECTOR
ASST. STUDENT DIRECTOR
DAKOTA VAUGHN
AMY LINT
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF CHARMAINE LIM ART DIRECTOR AMELIA MARKEY AUDIO & VISUAL MANAGER KAI YUEN LEONG
STUDENT LIFE EDITOR
CULTURE EDITOR
SPORTS & REC EDITOR
CELICA COOK
KENDRA SOMMERS
JORY HAGEN
BUSINESS MANAGER
DESIGN ASSISTANTS
WEB CONTENT MANAGER
SARAH BLESSING
ANDRE FRUEH
MADDIE CONLEY
CORINNE YOUNGBERG ABIGAIL ZOEBISCH YEARBOOK MANAGER ABIGAIL ZOEBISCH
RADIO MANAGER JOSHUA STANLEY
SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER AUDIO & VISUAL ASSISTANTS JANELLE BARGERSTOCK KATHARINE CHAMBERLAIN
ALLYSON HUFFORD
MUSIC MANAGER MATT DEKONTY
Monday - Friday | 1pm - 5pm 717-691-6081
N
ew year resolutions were never my thing. Instead, I’ve found that goals work much better for me. And instead of trying to cram all my goals into the last few weeks of the year, I do my best to bring them closer to completion. As the year comes to an end, I find myself thinking about the projects I’ve started or have worked on over the past 11 months. They may not be as far along as I’d like, but they’re a lot closer to completion than when the year began. And that’s how I like to close out my years. I wanted to share this because I know how often we can feel like we didn’t do enough. Whether that be with our resolutions, our projects or our work, sometimes it feels like we just never finish anything the way we want. But if we look at it as a process of moving toward the final product, completion doesn’t seem so far away after all.
1 COLLEGE AVENUE SUITE 3058 MECHANICSBURG, PA 17055
(Downstairs South Wing of the Larsen Student Union) The Swinging Bridge Magazine is published through The Pulse: Messiah College Media Hub, run by students. The Pulse consists of Pulse Radio (90.7), The Clarion yearbook, and The Swinging Bridge Magazine. The Swinging Bridge staff strives to publish quality student writing, photography, and design. To learn about job and volunteer opportunities, email thepulse@messiah.edu.
Charmaine Lim Editor-In-Chief
TABLE
CONTENTS
STUDENT LIFE
CULTURE
5
16
CAMPUS CLOSET
THRIFT STORE EDITION
7
MEET AL LONG
10
SAD SEASONS
FINDING A WAY THROUGH SEASONAL DEPRESSION
18
HUMAN RIGHTS AWARENESS MONTH
20
IN THE PURSUIT OF STILLNESS
CHRISTMAS & CONSUMERISM
12
22
BREAKING NEWS
INSIDE THE MESSIAH TELEVISION STUDIO
14
LAST MONTH, LAST SEMESTER DECEMBER GRADUATES
4
OF
DECEMBER 2019
END OF A DECADE
CULTURAL TIMELINE OF THE 2000'S
SPORTS & REC
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DARK HORSE RISING
AARON LUCAS, AMERICAN NINJA WARRIOR-IN-TRAINING
27
RECRUITING COMPLETE, TIME TO COMPETE MEN'S BASKETBALL
29
SENIORS' SOUND-OFF
30
A MARATHON, NOT A SPRINT FIELD HOCKEY
STUDENT LIFE
CAMPUS CLOSET BY CELICA COOK
AARON
L A S T N A M E :
SHAW
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ECONOMICS
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FIRST NAME:
2023
Have you ever walked into the nearest Forever 21 and come out with the perfect find, only to find someone else sporting the same piece next day? It kind of takes the fun out of shopping. That is one reason why many people choose to thrift. It’s a fun, easy, cheap and eco-friendly way to shop that leaves plenty of room for fashion self-expression.
Aaron’s style is perfect for the fall. Oversized sweaters and anything that says comfortable and classic are a must have in his closet. Shaw gets his fashion inspiration from his mom, who used to take him thrift shopping as a kid. For him, thrift stores are a place for hidden treasures. You never know what you might find. “I just wear whatever I like the look of, also what I feel confident in. I have my own sense of aesthetic that I really get from my mom. I’m a big sweater guy. I like oversized sweaters - that’s my favorite. Growing up, my mom would always take me to thrift stores. I never really thought of them as cool until getting to the age where clothes could fit me. You can find unique clothing that isn’t expensive. I really like the idea that if I buy something from a thrift store, no one can go out and buy it. I can have a big closet and not blow my whole checking account. It’s fun to go to a store and just be racking through clothes. It’s a fun search for little treasures.”
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MEGAN BOMBA MAJOR:
COMMUNICATIONS
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STUDENT LIFE
Megan would describe her style as trendy-but not too much. The right accessories are what complete the look. As a member of a family in the consignment business, she understands the value in finding that perfect thrift store find. “My style has some bohemian influences, but it’s also very classic. I have a lot of basics, but I add stuff with accessories and other patterns to keep [my look] updated. I like adding a few trendy pieces versus really going all out with the trends. Shoes are my favorite accessory. I think they could really make or break an outfit. They are definitely the exclamation point on an outfit. The right pair of shoes finishes everything.
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I like to be unique. I think that finding things at thrift stores and consignment shops adds something that everybody else doesn’t have. Everybody can go to American Eagle and buy that certain top but at a consignment store or a thrift store, you would find a very unique piece - the perfect basic that you were looking for.”
COMMUNITY AID W O M E N'S S W E AT E R S
Want to have a thrift shopping spree of your own? Check out these thrift stores near you and the special deals they have to offer.
6
Community Aid
Salvation Army
There are multiple locations in the Central Pennsylvania area, but the closest stores to campus are the Mechanicsburg and Harrisburg locations. Stop by on every Thursday for “Shopping with Class” day for a 50% student discount! Don’t forget you’re student I.D. Without it, you will miss out on this sweet deal.
Check out the Salvation Army in Camp Hill, Harrisburg, or Carlisle!
DECEMBER 2019
Goodwill You can find a Goodwill in Lemoyne, Camp Hill, and Harrisburg. If you stop in on Tuesday with your student I.D., you can get a 20% off Student Discount!
STUDENT LIFE
BY CELICA COOK
H
ave you ever seen Murray Library at 8 a.m. on a weekday? It’s a peaceful place to be. It is mostly empty, except for the few early morning risers who find the quiet of the early morning library a good place to get some studying in before the day of classes begins. Almost all the seats are empty - all except one seat in the back right corner of the library where the newspapers and magazines hang on the wall.
Greek. He comes every morning to read the morning papers so that he can bring the news to his wife, Mary Long, who is in nursing care at Messiah Village, a retirement community not far from campus.
That is where you will find Al Long, former Messiah professor of biblical studies and
Long visits Mary each day at Messiah Village. Along with reading her the daily news highlights,
“When my wife went to nursing care at Messiah Village four years ago, I started coming here regularly to read the newspapers so I could take the notes to her,” Long said.
Long often reads books to her as well. Sometimes he likes to sing hymns to her, especially “Let My People Go” which is one of her favorites. Long begins his daily routine early, making a call to his wife at Messiah Village first thing in the morning. “She can’t see. She has bad eyesight,” Long said. “She can’t even see to call me on the phone which she has by her bed, but I can call her. I can tell what kind of night she’s had by the sound of her voice.”
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"I vowed that I would never tell a student "You can't do this.'"
Long and his wife lived on campus together up until she moved into nursing care. He still lives in the same house, which he built with a group of faculty members he used to work construction jobs with in the summer. “We didn’t have something to do in the summer. We didn’t have income, so we built houses.” Long said. Most of the houses they built were student housing on campus. Some of these houses still stand, including Long’s home and some of the neighboring houses near the Rafiki house on campus. The other homes were torn down to make room for the residence halls. “I don’t know how many houses on campus that have been torn down,” Long said. “It was hard for me to see our handiwork be disrupted for the development of campus.” The demolition of the original houses to make room for the dormitories is the biggest physical change Long has seen since he was a student here in the 1940’s, he said. One of Long’s original projects still stands tall on campus to this day, as he and his team were instrumental in the construction of the steeple on Hostetter chapel. “We built scaffolding to put the steeple up. Oh my, that was awful,” Long said. “When we got off the roof we would pray and thank the Lord and say ‘never again.’ Taking down the scaffolding was worse than putting it up.”
STAYING UP TO DATE Long always takes notes on the most interesting stories so he can share them with his wife.
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The Hostetter Chapel steeple is just one of the many ways Long has left his mark on Messiah’s campus. His roots to Messiah College are deep, beginning when he came as a student in the early 1940’s. As a student, he studied Greek and sang in the male quartet on campus.
“I won out over six other guys to sing in the male quartet in the competition for signing bass,” Long said. “The guys said I was it.” Long travelled all over the country with the male quartet to states like Florida and California. They made their way up to Canada as well, he said, but most of their performances were in local churches. “If you sang in the male quartet, you had to sing in the Oratorio Society, Men’s Chorus and in the mixed chorus, so I did a lot of singing.” Long doesn’t sing as much today, though he says he enjoys listening to the male chorus at the church at Messiah Village, where he attends regularly with his wife and two sons each week. Of course, he still sings to Mary sometimes when he visits her.
STUDENT LIFE
It was the right decision, he said, that led to a long and fulfilling career in shaping young minds for the good of God’s kingdom. “My mother supported me and the church helped my father through his disappointment,” Long said. “I am not sorry that I answered the call of God.” Today, Long would describe his time at Messiah as memory after memory, and success after success. Campus has been blessed by Long’s dedication to the growth of his students, inspiring faith in the Lord and strong commitment to the value of education. Today, campus continues to blessed by his gentle presence, sweet smiles and witty humor. Catch him in the library tomorrow morning around 8 a.m. and he just might tell you his story with a smile on his face and a twinkle in his eye. The years he spent at Messiah helped equip him for 44 year long career as a professor of Greek - a job he was told he could never possibly have.
teach Greek.’ I walked out of that office pretty tall that day. I vowed that I would never tell a student that ‘You can’t do this.’ That was a bad thing for him to do.”
“When I was a student here, one of the professors told me my future would not be in academics,” Long said. “The day after he told me that, the president called me and said, ‘I would like to have you considered for Hilton College from here, and then come back here at
Long took President Hostetter’s advice and continued his education beyond Messiah’s classrooms. He returned to campus in the early 1950’s to begin his career in the biblical studies field, specifically teaching Greek. He said his students used to love his classes, as he used to make them laugh by throwing erasers across the room when the students didn’t seem to be paying attention.
“I am not sorry that I answered the call of God.”
As a young academic, Long knew his future lay beyond the farm where he grew up. Growing up, he did not receive much support from his father who had hoped for a different future for his son - a future not of books and pens, but of field and plow.
THROWBACK Al Long and his wife, Mary Long.
“The hardest day of my life was when I had to tell my father that I sensed the Lord was leading me into something else,” Long said.
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STUDENT LIFE
stillness FINDING STILLNESS THIS SEASON BY AMY DEPRETIS
T
emperatures are falling as end-of-semester stress is on the rise. Sound like a recipe for chaos? Or maybe it’s the perfect time to take a cue from the hibernating earth and begin to practice the art of stillness in our own lives. Stillness is hard to come by, especially in the craziness of campus life. Between papers, presentations and sleep debt, it seems like taking a rest is the first thing on our minds but the last thing within our reach. As this realization sets in, it often causes sleep-deprivation and stress-induced worry. We wonder when we might ever get a break. Hold on, the end of the semester is coming! But in the here and now, unnatural as it may seem, pursuing a mindset of stillness can actually do us - and our course loads - a world of good.
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For junior Abby Ruth, chaos is just as normal as she juggles a double major in international business and French, along with a job as a student career coach and other responsibilities on campus. But Ruth said that finding quietness in the midst of this chaos is essential. For her, that might look like a techfree morning walk or simply focusing on calm breathing with the help of a free meditation app. “Stillness is about emptying my mind as much as it can be… and that’s when God speaks to me and it really brings into perspective that yes, this assignment or this problem may seem ridiculously huge now… but in the long run… it’s not going to make or break something,” Ruth said.
STUDENT LIFE She has given this advice before. Her position as student career coach brings her into contact with plenty of stressful changes and last-minute projects, but Ruth and her fellow coaches start every consultation with a relaxing casual chat despite any anxiety they may be feeling. She has found that sometimes a quick chat or a moment of self-care is all it takes to put things in perspective. “I found that even five minutes is really beneficial,” Ruth said. “That makes the rest of my day go better, and then I can serve other people on campus better.” Serving others comes very naturally to Ariana Waclawiw, a sophomore social work major. She too understands the value of stillness in her personal life. “When you think of stillness,” Waclawiw said, “the first thing you probably think of is that you’re not moving physically, but there’s also an emotional component to it.” She likes to know that she can take a break from focusing on everything that is going on around her, which includes worries about the present and about the future - feelings that we have all experienced. Taking time to be still, whether physically, mentally or emotionally
is a way to put these anxieties in their place. Waclawiw finds stillness in nature, the place where she can most easily connect with God and experience His peace. For her, a hike or nature walk on one of Messiah’s beautiful trails is a way to regroup, refocus and reconnect with a higher calling while also managing her academic responsibilities. “I feel like stillness is a gift from God,” Waclawiw said. “He allows us to put ourselves in that frame of mind, so I think in that way, we can hear God when we’re still.” Hearing God’s voice is a big part of the pursuit of stillness for Destany Mason, a sophomore Christian ministries major. She likes to think of stillness as a “heart posture,” and a heaven-focused perspective that makes even the most chaotic parts of life seem insignificant. “Stillness comes out of knowing who He is in every circumstance. It’s not a matter of striving, but it’s a matter of being,” Mason said. Although stillness is not a passive process, Mason has found stillness in the Lord. “Our peace is unmoved because we serve an unmovable God,” Mason said. She has found that steadfast prayer throughout the day helps her to focus on rest and quietness. Mason encourages her fellow stressed students to take time for quiet conversations with God and realize that it’s not about us. This realization takes off a lot of unwelcome pressure. The beautiful thing about stillness is that it can be found in any place at any time. It is always within reach - sometimes much closer than we realize. As work piles up and the demands of college life run chaotically rampant, a moment of stillness may very well be the breath of fresh air we all need. So whether it’s a good chat over a cup of coffee, a calming nature walk or a conversation with the God of Peace himself, adding one more thing to an already crazy schedule can actually be a sanity-saving relief - if it’s a heart of stillness we choose to pursue.
Praying Encouragement and Endurance BY CHARMAINE LIM
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he weeks leading to finals can be stressful for a number of reasons projects, papers, studying and trying to fend off that cold. It can be hard to stay positive when all you can think about is how great your bed will feel at the end of the night and how glad you’ll be when the semester is over. In times like this, ask your friends to be your support system so that you can all encourage each other.
“May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” (ROMANS 15:5-6, NIV).
The verses before this are a reminder that teachings written in the past are meant to be guidance and encouragement for us. It also reminds us that we are to spread that encouragement to those around us, supporting each other at all times. So the next time you start feeling overwhelmed, call a friend and ask them to pray encouragement and endurance over you. And in the spirit of holiday giving, share that gift with someone else by passing on that same prayer.
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STUDENT LIFE
BREAKING NEWS TURNING THE SPOTLIGHT ON MESSIAH'S STUDENT-RUN TELEVISION STUDIO
BY CELICA COOK
D
id you ever think about what goes on in that T.V. studio in the basement of Hostetter chapel? The better question is, did you even know there was a T.V. studio down there? Well, there is, and more goes on behind those walls than you might have thought. If you walk through the front doors of Hostetter chapel and find the stairs that lead down to the basement, you’ll find yourself standing at the door of Messiah’s own T.V. production studio, fully equipped with professional cameras, teleprompters, soundboards and student volunteers running back and forth, putting together the Monday night show that is MC-77.
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It all looks very professional - probably because it is. It is a place for students who are interested in broadcast and production to work directly in the field before they step out of the Messiah bubble into a “real” studio. MC-77 is broadcast live from the studio at 7p.m. every Monday night. The hour-long show runs hourly all week long on Messiah College T.V. channel 77. The show is also live streamed and uploaded to MC-77’s Youtube channel. “We try to keep Messiah students informed about what is going on,” E.J. Inscho, broadcast engineer for the Department of Communications said. “Also, we spread the word about groups and organizations on campus. If anybody has a story they want to pass along, they can reach out to us to do that.”
The show started in September of 2015, almost a year after the studio was completed. At the time they were only running a half an hour show each week. Now they are putting out an hour-long show each week complete with sports highlights, campus news, student talent and live interviews. “Everything we do is Messiah based,” Inscho said. “We don’t do news from off campus unless it's something that really affects campus. It’s important to note that this show is written and produced by students, for students.” Jacy Seltzer, a junior communications major, is the former producer of “Falcon Update”, the part of the show that features campus highlights from the week. Currently she is transitioning into the role of executive producer.
STUDENT LIFE
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“Each week for the show I basically put together the script for everything,” Seltzer said. “I send out a weekly email that basically highlights all the sports that were going on for the week and potential stories.”
the spread - just make sure it's not too light.
Seltzer’s time working with MC-77 has equipped her for a potential career in a professional broadcast studio. It’s a place where students are able to put technical skills they learn in class into practice, and the best part is having the room to make mistakes. “I think being in this format has equipped me for the real world setting,” Seltzer said. “Mistakes are okay. It’s a great way to practice.” Daniel Allen is a senior member of MC-77 and broadcast major who works in several different aspects of the show. Sometimes he’s a host of “MCLive,” the part of the show that features student talent and live interviews. Other times he works on shooting and editing packages for the show. “Falcon on the Street,” a segment where students around campus are asked a question-of-the-week and filmed as they answer, was Allen’s original idea. Now it is a regular segment on the show. “When I started I wanted to be on the air,” Allen said. “I still like doing on air stuff. I get to broadcast basketball, softball and baseball games here at Messiah, but I feel like my niche is definitely camera operations. Camera operations and editing has been my thing so far.” Both Seltzer and Allen commented on the value of trying out different positions around the studio. As a result of branching out beyond their comfort zone, they are more well-rounded in their field.
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Taking students along with him to Navy football games is one way Inscho gives his MC-77 students some hands on experience with working with a full crew at a professional sporting event. Allen has shadowed seven games with him so far, and has even gotten paid to work on some of them. “As much as my freelance job will allow, I try to take students with me so that they can experience what’s beyond these walls,” Inscho said. “There’s more to television than what we do here, but this is a great place for learning the basics.” MC-77 is a place where students who are passionate about broadcast can put their skills to practice in an informal, relatively risk free environment. If you’ve never caught the show before or want to check out the studio, stop by Hostetter sometime and see what unique opportunities there are for you to be involved in.
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hether they planned it from the beginning or stumbled into it by accident, many Messiah students are closing out the 2019 year with their undergraduate careers behind them. The reasons are plentiful, but the experience of graduating in December is unique to the students who are finishing out their last semester. In most cases, students don’t plan to leave in three and a half years.
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“I came in assuming I would finish in four years,” psychology major Jason Kusmadi said. “After my sophomore year, my advisor asked if I was graduating early. She said I had enough credits, so I said I would do it instead of stretching my time and staying when I don’t need to.”
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“I started off [by] taking all the credits I could because I wasn’t sure how college worked,” Kaci Lehman, a music business major, said. “I took 18 credits every semester and then I looked at Degree Audit and even though I did a study abroad, the credits worked out that I could still graduate early.”
The reason I did that was because I graduated high school a little early, so it just worked out better. It was also so I could take an easier load [at Messiah].” Naturally, there are challenges with graduating early. For one, making sure that they were taking the right classes at the right time was important for everyone. Especially when some classes aren’t offered every semester. “My advisor was very helpful,” Parrish said. “One of the biggest things was that I needed a class before the prerequisite for another class, but my professor was able to work around that for me.” In order to make sure they got their major requirements during the semester, many of these students took summer classes to get their GenEds out of the way. “There was a time where I decided that I wasn’t going to graduate early,” Yessie Campos, psychology major, said. “Last semester, I had to pick up two other classes on top of summer classes in order to make sure I only had the 16 credits I’m taking now [to graduate].”
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Then there are the students who knew all along that they would be leaving in December. Paul Parrish, an exercise science major, is one of those students.
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In other cases, there was a heavier focus on making sure they had enough credits to graduate. “The last three or four semesters, I’ve had to take 18 credits,” Dan Allen, broadcast and media production major, said. “I think the most difficult part was figuring out how to get to 18 credits every time.”
STUDENT LIFE
EXPERIENCES & ADVICE
Even though they had to do a lot of careful planning, these students still took full advantage of their college experiences. Three of them studied abroad and two of them participated in cross-cultural trips. “Each time course registration came around, I got very stressed,” Madeline Spivey, double major in English and sociology and anthropology, said. “If these courses didn’t work, my entire plan fell through. Trying to configure all those things and study abroad was certainly a challenge, but it was worth it.” Classes aside, there are other struggles the December graduates face. Friendships, career choices and living situations are only some of the things they have to face sooner than everyone else. “I think the hardest part is being in a different mental space than my friends,” Lehman said. “I feel like we’re all at the point where we’re almost done, but my ‘almost done’ is in less than two months and everyone else still has another semester.” “With my friends, we’re all graduating soon,” Spivey said. “But there’s this sense of more urgency with me because I'll be done in December. It’s more like, ‘Oh, I do need to figure out what I’m doing,’ by the end of this semester.” For international students like Kusmadi, post-college life also depends on getting OPT (Optional Practical Training), a visa that allows students to stay in the United States for
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a year to work temporarily. Without OPT, internationals are unable to accept employment here and are required to go home after graduation.
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“The timing isn’t really the best,” Kusmadi said. “They said we would know around mid-December or early January, and by that time, I’m already done. You’d obviously want to know if you can stay before you’re staying.”
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Yet, with all the challenges they face, most December graduates are looking forward to what the post-college life has to offer them.
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Parrish and Campos both plan to attend grad school, though Campos is taking a year off to give herself a break from classes. On the other hand, Parrish knows he’s moving to North Carolina after graduation.
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As the semester and their undergraduate career come closer to an end, goodbyes are drawing closer too.
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“It’s kind of bittersweet,” Spivey said. “[My friends] are going to continue on for their final semester, but by then I’ll be gone.”
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“It’s exciting, but also kind of sad,” Campos said. “I love my friends so much and leaving them is already getting really hard.” To finish out their time here, it’s the little things that stand out most to these graduates. “I don’t want to look forward to the end and not finish [the semester] well,” Kusmadi said. “It’s a good idea for me to focus on what I’m doing now and finish the semester well, just like I would any other semester.” “I’m definitely going to miss the atmosphere of being here,” Campos said. “It feels like home.”
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THE SWINGING BRIDGE
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CULTURE
BY JOY HAMMOND MACRO SNOWFLAKE PHOTOS by Rebecca Penney
S A D SEASONS
U N D E R S TA N D I N G S E A S O N A L D E P R E S S I O N A N D F I N D I N G A WAY T H R O U G H I T
As
we get deeper into the fall semester, the weather is starting to cool in preparation for winter. This is also when the days get colder and the sun starts to hide behind the clouds. Seasonal depression is a prominent matter during this season especially amongst college students. “It [seasonal depression] is a subtype of major depression disorder,” Ashlynn Young, president of Minds Matter and a senior psychology major said. “It occurs mostly around the end of fall and in the winter months. One of the causes is a lack of light…and you just feel really down or depressed. To me, it’s like a really gloomy time, I feel like I am in a funk…
you just want to stay inside all day and cuddle under your covers." This mental health issue can complicate everyday interactions - doing schoolwork, going out or spending time with other people - for those diagnosed with it.
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Seasonal depression is common. A lot of people either do not realize they have it or do not want to admit it. “I know that this year there have been at least three people who have mentioned it to me,” Tina Lamoreux, a junior English major said. “Which I think people don’t normally share, but people are getting more open about mental illnesses.” It is important for people to be educated when it comes to talking to friends with mental illnesses. Sometimes friends mean well when giving advice but end up doing more hurt to the other person. Some statements are said with positive and honest intentions but can be harmful to someone going through a difficult time or struggling with seasonal depression. These sentiments can feel belittling and discouraging. If you want to truly help a person with seasonal depression, try lending a listening ear and being there for them.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, a person must meet the symptoms of major depression for at least two years before being diagnosed with seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Seasonal depression does not just happen in the winter months, it can also happen in the summer months as well. Symptoms of major depression include but are not limited to: feeling depressed, heaviness and/or deep sadness most of the day, nearly every day; feeling hopeless or worthless; having low energy and losing interest in activities that were once enjoyed; having problems with sleep; experiencing changes in appetite or weight; feeling sluggish or agitated, having difficulty concentrating, or having frequent thoughts of death or suicide (NIHM). SAD symptoms may also include overeating, social withdrawal, poor appetite, anxiety, restlessness, and episodes of violent behavior (NIHM). It is important for anyone experiencing these signs or symptoms to seek support and/or professional assistance, as well as develop positive coping strategies.
CULTURE On campus, there are several places a person struggling with seasonal depression can receive help. The Engle Center is the primary place available to utilize health and counseling services, both individual and group counseling. Minds Matter, an executive club, also addresses some of the struggles of dealing with mental health on a college campus.
Unhelpful Comments • “Oh, just be happy!” • “Go out and do something.” • “Don’t be so lazy.”
Finding a good support system is also important. Support systems can be both individuals like mentors, professors and trusted friends, as well as regular events and gatherings with other friends.
• “ That’s a dumb feeling. It’s not that important.” • “Get over it.”
OT H E R P O S I T I V E C O P I N G S T R AT E G I E S F O R P E O P L E W I T H S E A S O N A L D E P R E S S I O N I N C LU D E : • Be encouraged to get out of the house, even if it’s just a short walk, it’s important not to stay cooped up inside. • Do activities that you like to do, even if you have to force yourself at first.
• Surround yourself with understanding friends.
• “ Oh, it’s not an actual mental illness.” • “ You have no reason to be sad. You have a roof over your head, you’re going to a good school, you have a loving family - other people have it worse off than you.
• Even if it’s dark outside, get into nature. Snow and coldness can bring beauty as well. • Staying active.
• Seek help either through a counselor, mentor, or trusted friend/family member. • Promote positive-thinking and positive thoughts for yourself. Give yourself grace when you need it.
• Creating a support system through trusted mentors, professors, friends and family who know and understand what you are going through and know the best ways to help you through.
Helpful Acts •
Be a listening ear.
• Don’t push them to change their mindset. • Suggest hanging out, going dinner or having a movie night.
to
• Let them know that you are there for them.
Seasonal affective disorder affects many lives and it is important for the public to be educated on mental health issues in order to help bring awareness to the issues many of us face in our day to day lives. “We should have more open conversations about lesser known mental illnesses and not be judgmental when people tell their stories,” Lamoreux said. “Encourage them and be there for them. Sharing personal stories is really hard and takes courage.”
For those with mental illness, like seasonal depression, Young said, “Find people to hang out with, especially when you are experiencing SAD. It’s so important to find that support system. People who make you feel safe and okay to feel this way.” Reach out to your friends this winter and continue striving for your best. Knowing your limits is crucial and taking time for yourself is not selfish but is healthy and can be exactly what you needed.
• Respect their space and decision if they want to be alone for a bit. • Let them know that their feelings are valid and be a support system for them. • If they don’t want to talk, let them know that you are always available when they are ready. •
Assure them that winter isn’t forever.
F O R R E F E R E N C E S A N D M O R E I N F O R M AT I O N : N A T I O N A L I N S T I T U T E O F M E N T A L H E A LT H H T T P S : // W W W . N I M H . N I H . G O V / H E A LT H / T O P I C S / S E A S O N A L- A F F E C T I V E - D I S O R D E R / I N D E X . S H T M L
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CULTURE
HUMAN RIGHTS
AWARENESS MONTH Protecting & Respecting our Common Humanity BY KENDRA SOMMERS
December
is known for its frigid temperatures and the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season. But December is more than just the final month of the year; it is also Human Rights Awareness Month. This tradition began on December 10, 1948, with the United Nations adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, “a milestone document that proclaimed the inalienable rights which everyone is inherently entitled to as a human being – regardless of race, colour, religion, sex, language, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.” This first international declaration was a compilation of 30 articles that covered a diverse range of freedoms and rights that have since been used for civilian protection and has been implemented in many constitutions and national legalities. Despite the decree of, “all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights,” over 70 years ago, the world still faces enormous human rights violations. The month of December became a time to celebrate the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and our shared humanity, but also a time to bring awareness towards the immense inequalities of the global stage.
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One of the components of the Agape Center on campus is Human Rights Awareness (HRA), a “student-led advocacy coalition that brings attention to local and international justice issues to generate a desire to change among the student body.” Unique Eaton, director of HRA, spoke about her ideas surrounding human rights awareness, believing, “A lot of the institutions that we have today hinder those [human] rights in some form or fashion.” Because of this, awareness becomes even more imperative since naturally no one can know everything surrounding human rights violations, “especially if they have no personal connection or they don’t know anybody that has a connection to a certain group,” Eaton said. Beyond general unawareness as a driving force of bringing forth awareness, senior politics major and gender studies minor Sam Rockhill said, “It’s important to have an awareness of human rights violations and campaigns to protect human rights because I think we have a moral imperative to care for others both in our communities and around the world.” Bringing awareness to various human rights issues can be done in a multitude of ways. But first, one must educate themselves and learn about others’ experiences.
CULTURE
Eaton suggests, “Having conversations and making connections with people outside your typical group; find somebody different, engage in conversation, get coffee and just talk.” Building connections is vital to understanding different experiences and perspectives. Eaton also heeds to ensure that when reaching out to new people, not to belittle them to just one identity and to show a genuine interest in them as a person first and foremost.
Intentionality is key. Bringing awareness will not come easily, but it’s the beginning of bringing human rights issues to justice. At the end of the day, “As human beings, we should care about other human beings,” Eaton said. As the year comes to a close and we begin a new decade, remember this sentiment. Our humanity should be a connecting force, not one that separates and ostracizes. Spread awareness, continue learning and take action.
Both Eaton and Rockhill also spoke about the positives and negatives of social media when it comes to spreading awareness. Eaton said, “A lot of us now get our information, our news [and] our opinions from our social media. And so I think it is important – especially if you don’t watch the news – to be aware and to look into [human rights] if you see them.” She then cautioned to make sure your information is reliable and an honest portrayal before forming your own opinions. Rockhill echoed that social media can be a great way of educating yourself and others as well as promoting campaigns and organizations that help with issues you’re passionate about. “It’s also important to go beyond ‘twitter activism,’” Rockhill said. “Get into your local communities and do volunteer work, go to protests [or] hand out information to vulnerable populations so they know their legal rights.” There’s plenty of opportunities on campus to learn and connect from others from MCC, HRA, SAB and SAGE events. “Learning in general can be uncomfortable,” Eaton said. “Especially if you held this one worldview, this one opinion, and then you hear a different perspective on it. Lean into that discomfort.”
"BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS" (MATTHEW 5:9) by Madison Harlow Part of a series of "Beatitudes" prints from Messiah's Fall 2019 Digital Illustrations class. Now on display in the Climenhaga upper glass gallery.
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CULTURE
CHRISTMAS and
CONSUMERISM RETHINKING HOW TO CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS
“Americans plan to spend nearly
$720 BILLION this holiday season.1”
According to the National Retail Federation, the average American spends more than $1,000 during the holiday season encompassing gifts, food, decoration, travel and other non-gift related items for their families and themselves. In 2011, $6 billion was spent on Christmas decorations alone, and this indicator has only increased over the years.2
Almost $2 billion is spent on real Christmas trees every year; trees that can only be used once.3 Christians often criticize Christmas for becoming too materialistic nowadays rather than keeping the focus on the religious component of the holiday. Is the issue that we have strayed from the religious meaning of Christmas, or is it the consumerist nature of a capitalistic system exploiting the holiday season? No matter your stance, the figures are startling. Intentional action needs to be taken before this issue gets even further out of hand. “The New York Times has estimated that it would take around $30 billion a year to solve the global food crisis.”4 In one year alone, the American holiday consumption could alleviate the global food crisis for 24 years.
BY KENDRA SOMMERS
Polio could be completely eradicated with only $1.3 billion.4 Flint, Michigan’s, water crisis could be alleviated with an estimate cost of $216 million.5 This is a mere fraction of the exuberant spending of Americans during the holiday season. This is a problem Flint has been facing since April of 2014 – more than five years have passed without safe drinking water. On a universal level, it would cost approximately $150 billion a year to bring safe drinking water and sanitation to the world.6 In the yearly American holiday spending, this would cover accessibility for almost 5 years. With $8.5 billion, malaria could be completely exterminated globally.6
HERE'S WHAT ELSE $720 BILLION COULD COVER:
Flint, Michigan’s, water crisis could be alleviated with an estimated cost of
$216 MILLION.
“The New York Times has estimated that it would take around
$30 BILLION A YEAR
to solve the global food crisis.”
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DECEMBER 2019
On a universal level, it would cost approximately
to bring safe drinking water and sanitation to the world.
CULTURE
Almost
In 2011
$2 BILLION
$6 BILLION
is spent on
real Christmas trees
every year; trees that can only be used once.
“The cost of putting an end to extreme poverty worldwide is estimated at $175 billion a year,6” meaning 4 years would be covered under one year of America’s holiday spending. These statistics are not meant to shame Americans to stop spending their money during the holidays. It is a call to be mindful of where and how much one consumes. We can have more of an impact if we are intentional about our choices and don’t fall into the mindless cycle of commercialization; especially with aspects of the holiday season like decorations and real trees that are only used once. While they may look fancy, they not only contribute to deforestation, but will be thrown out at the end of the season just to buy another one next year. Dr. John Harles of the politics department shed light into a way he has received gifts that can show someone you’re thinking of them during the holidays, but also helps alleviate inequalities and suffering around the world With the Heifer Project (www.heifer.org), you can buy a “gift card” for a friend to use to purchase things like a flock of chickens, alpacas, stoves, trees and more to help lift a family out of poverty. This is not an isolated initiative. There are countless organizations that have similar programs in place or that give a large portion of their proceeds towards helping people across the world. Some of these include the Feed Projects (www.feedprojects.com) where you can purchase bags, accessories and more and
was spent on Christmas decorations alone, and this indicator has only increased over the years.
the proceeds go towards distributing meals to children across the world and in America; Cookies for Kids (www.cookiesforkidscancer. org) which donates a portion of every box of cookies towards funding cancer treatment research; Hand in Hand (www.handinhandsoap.com) distributes a “bar of soap and one month of clean water… to a child in need; Bloom and Give (bloomandgive.com) offers a variety of scarves, bags and home décor items that gives roughly 50% of their profits towards women education programs within established communities. And these are just a few. There are countless organizations that offer similar ideas, and with a little research and more intentionality, your Christmas gifts this year can have a greater impact. Christmas is often seen as a time for family and a celebration of one another, beyond the religious implication. Perhaps this should not be centralized to the month of December, but rather implemented throughout the whole year. Buy gifts for friends and family just because and host dinners simply because you want to spend more time with your loved ones. Do not keep the themes of Christmas focused around a fleeting moment but carry these sentiments beyond and into your everyday life. The preposterous spending surrounded by the holiday season, beginning sooner and sooner every year, needs to be addressed. America is blessed with the privilege to even have this dedicated time off for festivity. Let’s not take it lightly.
SOURCES 1 Pirani, Fiza. "Report: Americans plan to spend nearly $720 billion this holiday season." The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. 2 Scinto, Madeleine. “Americans Are Spending A Whopping $6 Billion On Christmas Decorations This Year” 3 Snider, Susannah. “How to Save Money on a Christmas Tree” and USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service; National Christmas Tree Association (NCTA) 4 Rueckert, Phineas. “15 Things the US Could Do With $15 Billion That Are Not Building a Wall” 5 Felton, Ryan. “Fixing Flint's contaminated water system could cost $216m, report says” 6 MSN Money Staff. “What experts say it would cost to fix the world's biggest problems”
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CULTURE
END OF A
DECADE
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE PAST 10 YEARS BY CONNOR CIGRANG 2019 is the end of an era! The past decade has seen numerous monumental achievements and world events. Take a look at our timeline and reflect on the last 10 years!
OCTOBER 27TH: Category 1 storm Hurricane Sandy strikes at Atlantic City, New Jersey, leaving a mark on much of the East Coast.
JUNE 6TH: The Guardian and the Washington Post disclose the existence of PRISM, a program which allows the NSA to extract the details of customer activities. This information was gathered via an email from Edward Snowden.
2013 JULY 22ND: The royal baby is born to Prince William and Catherine Middleton; Prince George of Cambridge.
NOVEMBER 18TH: Nintendo expands upon its highly successful Wii product and releases the Wii U in North America.
2012 JUNE 8TH-JULY 1ST: The 14th UEFA European Football Championship is co-hosted by Poland and Ukraine. The champions, Spain, defeated Italy 4-0 at the Olympic Stadium in Kiev, Ukraine.
2009 JANUARY 20TH: Barack Obama is sworn in as the 44th President of the United States of America, becoming the first African American to accomplish this feat. MAY 18TH: Messiah Softball defeats Coe College 2-0 en route to becoming the 2009 NCAA DIII National Champions. JUNE 25TH: US pop star Michael Jackson dies unexpectedly of cardiac arrest at age 50.
APRIL 12TH: Captain Richard Philips is rescued by the U.S. Navy after his ship, the Maersk Alabama, was attacked and he was taken hostage by Somali pirates.
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DECEMBER 2019
APRIL 29TH: The royal wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton takes place at Westminster Abbey in London.
2010 JANUARY 12TH: The nation of Haiti is struck by a devastating earthquake of 7.0 magnitude, striking 14 miles west of Port-au-Prince.
FEBRUARY 12TH-FEBRUARY 28TH: The 2010 Winter Olympics are held in Vancouver and Whistler, Canada, with the United States receiving the most medals total and Canada receiving the most gold medals.
MAY 2ND: Osama bin Laden, Al Qaeda leader and 9/11 mastermind, is killed in his Pakistani compound by a team of 25 U.S. Navy SEALs.
2011 MARCH 11TH: The nation of Japan is devastated by an earthquake which shook the northeastern portion of the country and unleashed the Tohoku Tsunami. The disaster was the costliest in world history, with damages estimated to at least $199 billion dollars.
DECEMBER 17TH: Due to drastic protests of unemployment and economic difficulties, numerous protests and revolutions occur across the Middle East. This phenomenon would later become known as the Arab Spring.
CULTURE NOVEMBER 22ND: The Xbox 1, successor to the Xbox 360 and the third installment in the Xbox family, is released in North America.
DECEMBER 7TH: Messiah Men’s soccer claims their 10th NCAA DIII National Championship over Rutgers-Camden 2-1 in overtime. 2014
NOVEMBER 15TH: The PlayStation 4, an eighth-generation home video game console created by Sony, is released in North America.
AUGUST 11TH: Beloved actor Robin Williams passes away due to suicide. NOVEMBER 3RD: The new World Trade Center is opened. JUNE 6TH-JULY 5TH: The 7th FIFA Women’s World Cup is hosted by Canada. The U.S. Women’s National Team defeated Japan in the final with a dominant 5-2 performance for the program’s 3rd World Cup title.
SEPTEMBER 9TH: Queen Elizabeth surpasses her great-great grandmother Victoria and becomes the longest-reigning British monarch in history.
JUNE 12TH – July 13th: Brazil hosts the 20th FIFA Men’s World Cup. In the final, Germany defeated Argentina 1-0 in overtime, and were crowned world champions. SEPTEMBER 22ND: The United States military begins its intervention in the Syrian Civil War. 2015 APRIL 19TH: Freddie Gray, an African American man accused of drug dealing, is arrested and beaten by police in Baltimore, MD. He later died due to his injuries, sparking riots and national attention on the “Black Lives Matter” movement. JUNE 26TH: The Supreme Court deems same-sex marriage legal in all 50 states. 2016
NOVEMBER 9TH: New York Republican Donald Trump is elected the 45th President of the United States, defeating Democrat Hilary Clinton of Illinois. NOVEMBER 20TH: Messiah’s field hockey team defeats Tufts University en route to claim the first NCAA DIII National Championship in their program history.
AUGUST 5TH-AUGUST 21ST: Brazil hosts the 2016 Olympic games in Rio de Janeiro. American gymnast Simone Biles wins 5 medals and becomes the most decorated female athlete at the 2016 games.
FEB 5TH: The New England Patriots overcome a 25-point deficit to defeat the Atlanta Falcons in an overtime thriller, continuing their dynasty and hoisting their 5th Super Bowl title in program history. 2018
JUNE 14TH- JULY 15TH: The 21st FIFA Men’s World Cup is hosted by Russia. Soccer’s biggest spectacle was won by France, who defeated Croatia 4-2 and claimed their second World Cup title.
DECEMBER 31ST: The end of the decade
OCTOBER 31ST: My Chemical Romance announces their reunion after splitting up back in 2013.
SEPTEMBER 24TH: The impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump began.
SEPTEMBER 20TH: Groups of alien enthusiasts surround Area 51 after a meme joke about raiding the top-secret compound went viral. JUNE 7TH-JULY 7TH: The 8th FIFA Women’s World Cup is held in France and the United States women’s team are once again the champions, defeating the Netherlands 2-0 in the final.
2019 2017
JULY 21ST: The free-to-play video game, Fortnite, is released to the public. The game would grow immensely and become a global phenomenon, generating more global revenue in 2018 than any video game in history.
Here’s to the 2020’s, creating more memories, world accomplishments and memes having significant cultural and societal impacts.
MAY 19TH: The royal wedding ceremony of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle is held in Windsor Castle, England.
JANUARY 3RD: A historically diverse number of people are sworn in to the House of Representatives. This included 107 women in the 116th Congress.
OCTOBER 19TH: The Messiah College Board of Trustees announces that the school will obtain university status by July 1, 2020.
THE SWINGING BRIDGE
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SPORTS & REC
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DECEMBER 2019
SPORTS & REC
B
eing a ninja is usually the stuff of fantasy. Unless you’re Aaron Lucas. A junior adventure education major, Lucas has worked hard to overcome all the odds and get to where he is now. After all, few people can say they’ve competed on American Ninja Warrior. Growing up, he was always the smallest kid. Entering freshman year in high school, Lucas was 4’8 and around 68 pounds. It was a health concern for him to play tackle football, so he chose flag football as one of the 19 sports he would play before college. “There was always this mentality of having to prove myself to people,” Lucas said. “Which also drove me to be the best that I could be.” Lucas began by playing baseball for nine years before branching out into other sports. In his junior and senior years of high school, he played four different sports in three seasons - golf, cross country, pole vault and diving. “People always ask me [what my favorite sport is],” Lucas said. “When I think of the sports I clung to the most, I think of the four from junior and senior year of high school. There are all these factors that are completely different from each other, but I love each of these factors because they’re their own thing.” It wasn’t a stretch for him to go from athlete to ninja. After all, he’d spent his childhood climbing the walls of his house and pretending the floor was lava with his siblings.
“Originally, it was a pipe dream,” Lucas said. “I grew up watching the show and my parents saw me climbing the walls. We watched the show and my parents always said ‘You gotta do the show!’” At the time, the age requirement for the show was 21. Then it was lowered to 19 in 2018, pushing Lucas to begin training to appear and compete on the show. In April 2019, he announced that he would be competing in Tacoma, Washington. In May, 2019, he competed on the show for the first time. “I think [my younger self] would be absolutely ecstatic,” Lucas said. “I was looking up to those guys on the show and I thought they were the coolest ‘cause they get to jump through the air.” During the show, Lucas called himself the dark horse, something the producers liked about his story and his performance. “I could have raced through as fast as I could,” Lucas said. “But I wanted to take in every moment of it. I wanted to enjoy it.” Though Lucas didn’t end up making it through the Tacoma qualifiers, he finished 31st overall. Having competed with some of the best ninjas in the world, it wasn’t a disappointing moment for him. Instead, he turned it into a motivator. “I competed, so now let’s take it a step further,” Lucas said. “Now, let’s get past city qualifiers, let’s get past city finals, let’s get past Vegas finals. That’s my next goal.” But how did Lucas begin training to be a ninja in the first place? It all began at a meet-andgreet with Tim Dexter, the owner of Dexterity Depot, a ninja gym in Camp Hill. Before the gym opened, Lucas expressed his interest in training and working at the gym. He even volunteered to help get the gym to where it needed to be to open. The dedication he showed not only allowed him to train at Dexterity, it also landed him a job as a trainer. Now, he teaches young kids to conquer some of the same obstacles he has.
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SPORTS & REC
"You have to learn to fail before you can learn to succeed."
“I never had someone to tell me ‘Hey, keep going,’” Lucas said. “I was just bullied and pushed to the side. I kept my head down and kept going. I don’t know if anybody else is dealing with this, so to be able to help other kids get past these obstacles on the course and hear what’s going on in their own life, it’s been really rewarding.” It’s all part of how he shares his story. Like many great ninjas before him, Lucas inspires others to try new things and push themselves harder. “One of the mottos I live by is ‘You have to learn to fail before you can learn to succeed,’” Lucas said. “A lot of time, people are too afraid to fail. But it’s when you fail that you learn to grow.” This resolve to grow is what keeps him in training for the next round of American Ninja Warrior auditions. Between his time at the gym and competing in ninja competitions across the country, Lucas has found community in other ninjas. Exchanging advice with some of his inspirations and learning from them has shown him how down-to-earth they are. “The way we describe it, we’re kind of the league of misfits,” Lucas said. “All these people who didn’t fit in with mainstream sports.” Among his inspirations are Drew Drechsel, Najee Richardson and Daniel Gil. In particular, Gil is another Christian ninja who publicly talks about his faith, something Lucas wants to do too.
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DECEMBER 2019
“Faith has been a big part of my life,” Lucas said. “Spreading the word about my struggles and understanding that through that time, I was looking up to God. I think that can reach an even broader group of people.” As he trains and looks at what’s next, he reflects on everything he has learned from childhood and from pushing himself. “It wasn’t just an overnight thing for me,” Lucas said. “It was taking that step and being willing to fail. Take that step to at least try it. I might not be good at everything, but at least try it, see what I can do and learn something out of it.” Looking back at how far he has come, he encourages everyone to push themselves beyond their comfort zone. “Don’t give up,” Lucas said. “It gets better. Don’t let anybody tell you what you can and can’t do. Be the best you possibly can be. Who knows what you can do. The sky is literally the limit.” His greatest piece of advice when it comes to trying something new, hard or different being willing to fail.
“Failure isn’t negative, by any means. If you look at it as negative, then it could be. If you look at it as a positive thing, like a growth, I think that’s super important. It’s what you do with that failure that defines you.” With this in mind, Lucas is focused on making it to Season 12 of American Ninja Warrior, through the qualifiers, all the way to Mount Midoriyama. “If I conquered Ninja, I think I’d just come back and do it again,” Lucas said. “At the end of the day, I get to be a kid. And if I continue to do this, I get to be a kid for the rest of my life.”
SPORTS & REC
R E C R U I T I N G
#10 Kyle Krout Guard 6'0" Senior #1 Jordan Criddle Forward 6'3" Senior #12 Nate Eberle Forward 6'6" Senior
Caleb Light Guard 6'0" Sohpomore Josh Darville Forward 6'5" Senior Cam Carter Guard 5'9" Sophomore
#1 Christian Reames Guard 6'1" Freshman #2 Colin Sareyka Guard 6'0" Senior
COMPLETE, TIME TO
COMPETE.
#3 #4 #5
MEN'S BASKETBALL ROUNDS OUT THEIR ROSTER
BY MARIO COSENTINO
It takes more than a rebound to replace someone important. For the Men’s Basketball team, recruiting new players is how they keep their roster full as seniors graduate each year. Because there are so many schools in the NCAA, getting athletes to look at and attend Messiah College is tricky. Coach Rick Van Pelt understands this recruiting process well, thanks to his 17 years as the head coach. The secret to recruiting, according to Van Pelt, is to never stop recruiting.
#22 #23 #24
“Recruiting never ends, it never stops,” he said.
EJ Porter “We’re constantly adding names to our list.” Guard 6'5" Sophomore But if he were to pick an exact starting time for the process, Will Young IV it would most likely be sometime in the spring. From May to July, he has one Forwardgoal 6'3" Junior - try to gather as many names as he can. He and his staff do this by attending many Sam Whittle and Amateur Athletic Union Guard different 6'3" camps Junior events in search of prospective students. “We’re really just looking to add names to our list but also to cultivate relationships,” Van Pelt said.
Once Van Pelt knows who these athletes are, it’s time for them to get to know Messiah. Many of these athletes are only entering their senior year of high school when Van Pelt gives them a recruitment offer. In September, they have the chance to attend a prospective student day with the basketball team. This serves as a great opportunity for students to learn more about academics, faith and other non-athletic related things at Messiah. This experience is beneficial to many recruits and sometimes someone will commit to the college in the late fall or early winter. This, as Van Pelt explains, is unlikely due to the nature of basketball being a winter sport. Over his years of coaching, he has found that athletes like to keep their possibilities open. “There’s lots of scholarship money for kids. There’s always the dream of playing D-I basketball,” Van Pelt said. “Many athletes try and use their senior season as a chance to get the attention of from a Division I or II school.” For this reason, he doesn’t get a lot of commitments until March or April. The last day for students to make a college decision is on May 1st. Van Pelt likes to have the team decided at this point in the process.
CANDID COACH Coach Rick Van Pelt strategizes at the Messiah vs Albright game last season (Feb 9, 2019).
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SPORTS & REC
#15 #20
Matt Glogowski Forward 6'6" Senior Stephen Worden “We try and our team through the recruitForward 6'5"formSophomore
#35
Tyler Penley Guard 6'5" Sophomore This means that there are no open spots and Samno tryouts. Erikson Recruits are then required to help out at least Team Impact
ing process,” Van Pelt said. “When we’re done with the recruiting, we want to have our team.”
one of two basketball camps that Messiah hosts over the summer. When the fall comes around, most of the freshmen are already acquainted and familiar with the team.
The entire process looks different from year to year depending on the current talent of the team and on the gaps left by the senior class. Last year’s roster has only one senior, so it didn’t leave a lot of room for freshmen. That spot went to Christian Reames.
FIRST GAME Messiah's newest (and only!) recruit for this season, Christian Reames, on the court at the first game of the season (Messiah vs Clarks
Even in the first scrimmage of the season, Van Pelt saw Reames as a great addition to the team.
“HIS MINDSET, HIS WORK ETHIC, HIS PASSION IS REALLY HIGH FOR A FRESHMAN, ” Van Pelt said. As usual, the basketball team is already in the process of adding more names to the roster in the future. The coaching staff’s main focus for the time being is the 2019-2020 basketball season. Van Pelt said the team as a whole are talented, selfless and the “most experienced from a playing time standpoint,” that he has coached during his time at Messiah. All in all, Van Pelt is confident in the team’s chances this season. “I’m going to be really confident every single night that [if] we play as well as we are capable of playing that we should have a great shot at winning.”
Summit, Nov 15).
PHOTOS COURTESY OF MESSIAH COLLEGE ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS.
linguist linguist
global traveler traveler global
teacher Dr. Alan Seaman Dr. Alan Seaman Professor of TESOL Professor of TESOL
Chair of Applied Linguistics & Chair of Applied Linguistics & International Education Department International Education Department
Dr. Seaman has taught English to non-native speakers around the Dr. Seaman has taught English to non-native speakers around the world and has developed a vast network of TESOL contact points. world and has developed a vast network of TESOL contact points. By pursuing an M.A. in TESOL at Wheaton, you benefit from By pursuing an M.A. in TESOL at Wheaton, you benefit from the department’s global connections to schools, universities, and the department’s global connections to schools, universities, and agencies for internships and placements after graduation. agencies for internships and placements after graduation.
wheaton.edu/MA-TESOL wheaton.edu/MA-TESOL
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SENIORS' SOUND OFF STUDENT ATHLETES CLOSING OUT THEIR FINAL SEASON
BY RIDGE HAGAR
W
hether you play sports at a small or large college, Division I or Division III, the experience of being a college athlete is a rewarding one. After years of hard work and dedication, this season marks the end of their careers for many student athletes. After four years at Messiah, a few of these seniors shared a few of their favorite memories with their respective teams, the legacy they hope to leave behind and what they hope to accomplish as alumni. Most of the time athletes spend with their teammates is split between practices, workouts and games. For many of them, their fondest memories of their team are moments spent outside of the game. When asked about what she’ll remember the most, Kyra Bond, a senior on the women’s softball team, said “the memory that sticks with me the most when I think about my teammates takes me back to the time I spent in Costa Rica my junior year.” Bond and the softball team spent their 2019 J-Term in Costa Rica for a training trip. She raved about how she laughed and cried with her teammates, not in the game, but in the aisles of the bus when traveling to and from the game. Similarly, Joshua Darville, a senior on the men’s basketball team, shared his
“My favorite memory with the basketball team was in Hawaii in my sophomore year,” Darville said. “Three of my teammates and a coach participated in a pancake challenge.” The challenge asked participants to eat three pancakes the size of a large pizza, “almost all of them threw up and it was one of the funniest nights of my life,” Darville said. Plenty of athletes simply play their sports and retire, but others leave a legacy larger than themselves. The legacy of an athlete can look different for every individual, yet they can each leave a unique imprint on their respective programs. When asked about his own legacy, Eli Mc-
Cabe, a senior on the men’s swim team said, “I hope to leave a legacy of relationships behind. I want my teammates to remember the relationships I had on and off the field.” McCabe encouraged his teammates to get involved in opportunities on campus besides sports. “The legacy that I want to leave and what I wish to be remembered for is that I am someone who felt it is important to play for others and not for myself,” Bond said. “I take pride in the fact that I have always used the talents the Lord gave me to play for my teammates and others instead of my own ego."
As it goes, all good things must come to an end. The time for these athletes at Messiah is ending, but similar to how they left an impact on their respective programs, their experiences at Messiah have left on impact on them. When asked what they’ll do once they enter their next chapter as alumni, Bond, Darville and McCabe expressed their intent to keep up with their programs and stay connected to the community of Messiah. Darville said, “I’ve seen alumni come up for sporting events, homecoming weekend and just visit periodically throughout the year.” Bond shared this sentiment, “I hope to stay involved at Messiah because this school has helped shape who I am, and I hope I can give back in some way. Many alumni that I know have come back to tell me they feel at home again when they visit. I know that I will be able to come back and feel like not much has changed because of the welcoming community that Messiah College has.”
The community of Messiah College offers athletes a unique chance to feel involved on the field, in the classroom and in the community. While their time as student athletes may be coming to an end, for these seniors, their time as a Falcon will go on forever.
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SPORTS & REC
A MARATHON, NOT A SP S P R I NT BY MARK LEACH
E
very new season undoubtedly brings a new feel for a team, as chemistry is different and players come and go. The freshmen have to be acclimated to the collegiate level and - depending on the number of seniors graduating - there are holes that need to be filled. The signs of a great program point to the perseverance and persistence the players and coaches have to continue to be great, year in and year out. The Messiah College Field Hockey team has been one of our most consistent programs in recent years due to the fact that the team has won the MAC Commonwealth conference every year for the past 11 seasons. Having been four years removed from a Division-III National Championship, the field hockey program had lost only three games since the 2016 season before heading into this year. So, when the Falcons were seen losing four of the first seven games of the season, it was uncommon and uncanny.
Surely, any one of us would have wondered why the Falcons had gotten off to a slow start. But when discussing the season with several players on the team, there was a sense of clarity and confidence in their responses. Senior goalkeeper Megan Bomba, junior defender Mackenzie Brubaker, senior midfielder Kristen Musser and junior defender Claire Myers all sounded off on why the team felt that there was no need to panic at all after going three and four in the first seven games. When asked how different this year’s team is compared to past years - in terms of leadership, seniors graduated and the freshman class - both Bomba and Brubaker discussed the type of chemistry and leadership in this year’s team. “We lost six players [and starters] to graduation last year, which left a lot of unknown in the starting lineup,” Bomba said. “At the same time, we had a strong freshman class coming in to fill those necessary gaps.” When chiming in on chemistry, Brubaker added that “every team is different. Each one has its strengths and weaknesses. Overall, it is always good.”
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When commenting on the various gameplans the coaches and team instills, Brubaker said, “We’ve made some changes in tactics and strategies. We’ve learned to adapt to different surfaces, different formations and even different potential players who pose a threat.” More often than not, the postseason play brings games that have different atmospheres and different situations, which Musser and Bomba specifically brought up. “ We’ve learned the necessity [of realizing] what changes need to be made faster as we are in the game,” Musser said.
7-0
The Falcons’ first stretch of games consisted of seven non-conference games against teams that were nationally ranked, including opponents such as the number one ranked team in the nation, The College of New Jersey, number three ranked Salisbury University and eighth-ranked Johns Hopkins. The senior leader, Musser spoke on the importance of continuous growth and improvement as the season goes on, and how perfection is not what the program is solely focused on.
“I think records can be misleading,” Musser said. “The teams we lost to were top-ranked teams, and we hung in there in each of the games. People have it in their minds that they expect perfection from us or any team, and it’s very rare that a team goes undefeated all season. It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish. The season is a marathon, not a sprint.” Claire Myers also touched on how Coach Brooke Good emphasizes the importance of peaking at the right time, “Coach always says that she doesn’t want us to peak until the postseason. She wants us to keep building and growing throughout the season.”
The Falcons began conference play on September 28, 2019, when they hosted Alvernia University. Since then, the girls have rattled off nine wins in a row, as well as going 7-0 in the conference. In regards to the momentum the team has built on the past month of conference play, Bomba said, “(We) have found our mojo through a lineup that works for us and a game plan that sees positive results.” Myers added that the team has “really strong reserves that can step on the field and make a difference,” and that their fitness and condition allows them to outlast opponents in crunch time. The field hockey team made a run for another MAC Commonwealth title, but lost to Johns Hopkins, ending their season.
However, before the season ended, the team trained to continuously adapt and adjust to each opponent while carrying steady momentum.
“ We’ve been preparing for the different situations that may come out of the postseason (like overtime and shootouts), so that we are ready when they present themselves,” Bomba said. In the words of Musser, it is a marathon and not a sprint when it comes to a new and full season for the Messiah field hockey team. Although the team’s winning streak may not be as “perfect” as fans want it to be, the Falcons are only worried about being the best team they can be when it matters the most.
“ Coach always says that she doesn’t want us to peak until the postseason. She wants us to
K EEP BUILDING and growing throughout the season.”
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